King Tuff | Top 5 Tour Bus Tracks

King Tuff | Top 5 Tour Bus Tracks King TuffÂ runs us through his top 5 tour bus listens, track by track. Kyle Thomas aka King Tuff, has recently released his fifth studio album OtherÂ via Sub Pop

Posted: 17 April 2018 Words: Bianca Eddleston

King Tuff runs us through his top 5 tour bus listens, track by track.

Kyle Thomas aka King Tuff, has recently released his fifth studio album The Othervia Sub Popand is due to kick off his North American tour in May, before he hops over the pond in August for a string of UK dates. After touring 2014' Black Moon Spell, Thomas began to worry about his health mentally and physically - feeling creatively hemmed in by the garage rock sound he'd become known for he took a short break for a "psychic rest". Four years down the line and he's back with the hypnotic, funk-tinged The Other. In a press release Thomas explains: "I was a lost soul, I didn’t know who I was anymore, I just sat there staring out the window. So I went down deep into the void for a few years. And while I was there I found some worms, some crazy flowers, and some songs. These songs blasted me back into the sunshine. They saved me and I’m more excited about this record than I have been in a long time."
We asked the man himself about what he listen's to when he's on the road with his band and crew - this is what he had to say:

'Transfiguration' - Alice Coltrane

King Tuff: Alice is good for long stretches of nothingness where the road is real straight and you can just totally get lost in it. One time I put her on when someone had just smoked a joint in the backseat thinking it would be relaxing for him, because I personally find her to be quite relaxing. Apparently, as he told me much later on, it had the opposite effect on him and he had a full on mental freakout in the backseat hahahahah.

'Relance' - Gal Costa

King Tuff: This one - you could maybe blast right as you're rolling into Salt Lake City, just to announce your arrival! I love the way the bass enters into the song in the intro. It's totally upside-down. This is also a great song to DJ because you can never tell when it's going to end and it's a fun game to guess.

'Rated X' - Miles Davis

King Tuff: This is a good song to play if you want to torture someone who was late to lobby call in the morning. Or also good for when you're trying to stay awake on a long overnight drive and drinking red bulls and going full-on lunatic together.

'Harry Irene' - Captain Beefhart & His Magic Band

King Tuff: This is one of Beefheart's sweeter moments. "The floor was made of oak, the dough was smokey grey, their tuna sandwiches would turn the dark into day." Good for when everyone has been eating Subway for 5 days straight and there's still another 4 weeks of tour left.

'It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock'n'Roll)' - ACDC

King Tuff: Probably my number one tour song of all time. It's just a reminder that this is hard work and only the strong survive.
Check out 'Neverending Sunshine' below, featured on TheOther, King Tuffs latest LP. See his latest tour dates here.
Photo credit: Olivia Bee